TWO HELD ON DRUG CHARGES

Two men were charged with trafficking and conspiracy to traffic in cocaine Thursday after undercover Broward sheriff's detectives bought two kilograms, or 4.4 pounds, of the drug from them in a hotel room, police said.

Walter "Wito" Mercado, 32, of North Miami, and Adolfo Guerrero, 28, a Colombian national who has no known permanent address, were arrested moments after they counted the $61,000 two detectives gave them for the cocaine, said Detective D.R. Gavalier.

Mercado and Guerrero were part of a four-year-old drug smuggling ring responsible for sending 44 pounds of cocaine to Texas every month, Gavalier said. The street value of the cocaine seized is $250,000, he said.

The men were being held in the Broward County Jail on $250,000 bond each, Gavalier said.